Aortic stenosis: what you should know

• Though aortic stenosis can be present at birth due to a congenital heart defect, the disease usually develops later in life as a result of accumulation of calcium deposits that narrow the aortic valve.
• Another potential cause is rheumatic fever, which may develop after scarlet fever or strep throat.

Your doctor may also consider one of the following treatment options:

• Medications may be used to treat other conditions such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol to keep your heart from working too hard and putting strain on the aortic valve.
• Surgery to replace or repair a damaged valve using minimally invasive techniques, including thoracoscopy, endoscopy and robot-assisted surgery.
• Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), a procedure in which an artificial valve is placed without open heart surgery, is a new option for patients who are not good candidates for traditional surgery.
• Valvuloplasty, a procedure in which a balloon is inserted through an artery in the groin and threaded up to the narrowed valve to be inflated in order to open a valve that has become narrowed.